The gates of Azure City loomed like the jaws of a sleeping giant, their iron surface etched with glowing spirit arrays that pulsed faintly in the twilight. Kai Chen limped toward them, clutching the Star Devourer's essence core in his tattered cloak. His side throbbed where the beast's attack had grazed him, but the pain was dulled by the strange warmth in his dantian. The star seed, born from the mysterious crystal, hummed softly, as if alive. He was no longer just a scavenger—he was something more, though what, he couldn't yet grasp.
The guards at the gate barely glanced at him. Scavengers were common, their lives worth less than the cores they carried. "Hurry up, kid," one grunted, his armor clanking as he waved Kai through. "Gates close in ten minutes."
Kai nodded, slipping into the city. The air shifted from the Wilds' acrid tang to the chaotic bustle of Azure's night market. Lanterns infused with low-grade spirit stones cast a golden glow over stalls piled with mutant hides, herbal elixirs, and crude weapons forged from beast bones. Vendors hawked their wares, their voices blending with the chatter of cultivators and common folk. The scent of roasted spirit grain and sizzling beast meat made Kai's stomach growl, but he had no time for distractions.
He headed straight for Black Market Alley, a narrow street tucked behind the main bazaar where no questions were asked about a core's origins. The Star Devourer's core was Rank 3—rare enough to draw attention, dangerous enough to get him killed if the wrong people noticed. He needed to sell it fast and figure out what to do with this new power.
The alley was dimly lit, its cobblestones slick with grime. Shady figures bartered in hushed tones, exchanging cores for spirit coins or forbidden manuals. Kai approached a familiar stall, its counter cluttered with cracked essence orbs and rusted daggers. Behind it sat Old Han, a grizzled merchant with a scar running from his brow to his chin. His eyes, sharp despite his age, flicked up as Kai approached.
"Boy, you look like you've been through a rift and back," Old Han rasped, leaning forward. "What's got you so spooked?"
Kai forced a grin, hiding his nerves. "Just another day in the Wilds." He slid the Star Devourer core onto the counter, keeping it half-covered by his cloak. The orb pulsed with dark light, its energy making the air hum.
Old Han's eyes widened, a rare crack in his usual calm. "A Rank 3 core? From a Star Devourer, no less? How in the heavens did a scavenger like you get this?" He reached for it, but Kai pulled it back slightly.
"Does it matter?" Kai said, voice steady despite his racing heart. "What's it worth?"
Old Han leaned back, stroking his beard. "A core like this… 300 spirit coins, maybe 350 if I'm generous. But you're walking trouble bringing it here, kid. Rank 3 beasts don't just fall to nobodies."
Kai's jaw tightened. He knew the core was worth more—closer to 500 coins, enough to buy a decent cultivation manual or even a low-grade artifact. But Old Han was his only contact in the black market, and arguing could draw eyes. Already, he felt the weight of stares from the alley's shadows.
"400," Kai countered, holding Old Han's gaze. "And you tell no one where it came from."
The merchant chuckled, a dry, rattling sound. "Bold for a street rat. Fine, 400. But you owe me a favor someday." He reached under the counter, pulling out a pouch heavy with spirit coins. Kai pocketed it, the weight grounding him. For the first time in years, he wouldn't go hungry.
As he turned to leave, a hand grabbed his arm. He spun, knife half-drawn, to face a girl about his age, her dark hair tied back and her eyes bright with curiosity. Lina Mei, a healer's apprentice from the slums, was one of the few people Kai trusted. Her patched robe was stained with herb residue, but her smile was warm.
"Kai, you idiot!" she hissed, keeping her voice low. "You're bleeding through your cloak. What happened out there?"
"Long story," Kai muttered, glancing around. The alley was too exposed. "Not here."
Lina dragged him to a quieter corner, her hands already glowing with faint green Qi as she pressed them to his wound. "Hold still. You're lucky I was passing by." The healing energy soothed the gash, knitting flesh with a tingling warmth. Kai winced but didn't pull away.
"Thanks," he said, softening. Lina had patched him up countless times since they'd met as kids scavenging together. She was the closest thing he had to family.
"Don't thank me yet," she said, frowning. "You've got an aura now. Weak, but it's there. Did you… awaken?"
Kai hesitated. The star seed's power was still a mystery, and he wasn't ready to share it—not even with Lina. "Something like that," he said vaguely. "I need to get to the Azure Cultivation Hall. There's a manual I heard about, something that might explain this."
Lina's eyes narrowed, but she didn't press. "The Hall? That's for cultivators, not scavengers. They'll toss you out unless you prove you're awakened."
"I'll manage," Kai said, standing. The spirit coins clinked in his pouch, a reminder of his new options. "Stay safe, Lina. I'll find you later."
She grabbed his wrist, her grip surprisingly strong. "Don't do anything stupid, Kai. The city's been on edge since the storm. Rumors say the Iron Fist Sect's recruiting, but they're not the only ones watching."
Kai nodded, her warning echoing the unease in his gut. He slipped back into the crowd, heading for the city's center where the Azure Cultivation Hall stood—a towering structure of jade and steel, its roof carved with star patterns that glowed faintly under the night sky.
At the entrance, a disciple in blue robes blocked his path, his aura pressing down like a weight. "Halt! Only awakened cultivators may enter," he barked, eyeing Kai's ragged appearance with disdain.
Kai took a deep breath, focusing on the star seed. A faint aura flickered around him, weak but undeniable—proof he'd reached Body Refinement Realm, Level 1. The disciple's eyes widened slightly, but he stepped aside, muttering, "Barely worth the floor you're walking on."
Inside, the hall was a labyrinth of shelves, filled with scrolls, tomes, and jade slips pulsing with stored knowledge. Kai wandered, overwhelmed, until he found a dusty corner labeled "Ancient Arts." His fingers brushed a cracked jade slip: Star Swallowing Art. The description was faded but spoke of absorbing celestial essences for rapid advancement, warning of dangers for those without a "star seed."
"This is it," Kai whispered, heart racing. The star seed in his dantian pulsed in response, as if recognizing the manual. He slipped it into his cloak, intending to barter for it with his coins, when a voice echoed in his mind, cold and ancient: Inheritor, you have awakened the Eternal Star Legacy. Devour to ascend, or be devoured.
Visions flashed: warriors swallowing stars, their bodies blazing with power; a void consuming entire galaxies; a war that shattered worlds. Kai staggered, clutching his head. The voice faded, but its weight lingered. What had he stumbled into?
Before he could process it, alarms blared through the hall. "Beast tide incoming!" a disciple shouted. "All cultivators to the walls!"
Kai's blood ran cold. Another attack, so soon after the storm? He rushed outside, joining a stream of cultivators heading to the ramparts. From the city walls, he saw it: a horde of mutants charging across the Wilds, their roars shaking the earth. At their forefront was a massive Eclipse Wyrm, its scales shimmering like a fractured night sky, its aura dwarfing the Star Devourer's.
Defenders mobilized, their spirit arrays flaring to life. Kai gripped a borrowed spear from a nearby rack, his star seed pulsing with eagerness. "This is my chance to test it," he thought, adrenaline surging. He leaped into the fray, weaving through lesser beasts, his body moving faster than ever. The star seed guided him, letting him absorb wisps of essence from fallen mutants, boosting his strength to Level 2.
But the Wyrm's eyes locked onto him, its gaze piercing. It sensed the legacy. With a deafening roar, it unleashed a beam of void energy, razing a section of the wall. Kai dodged, heart pounding. This was no ordinary beast—it was Rank 5, a city-killer.
As debris rained down and cultivators screamed, Kai realized he was in over his head. But the star seed burned brighter, urging him to fight. Could he survive this tide and prove his new power? Or would the legacy's pull drag him to his doom?
End of chapter 2